(05 Jun 10 – RV) On Saturday Afternoon, ahead of Mass with the priests, deacons,
religious and ecclesial movements in Holy Cross Church, Nicosia, Pope Benedict XVI
met with the spiritual leader of a Sufi movement in Cyprus.
Vatican Press Office
Director, Fr. Federico Lombardi, says that Sheik Mohammed Nazim Abil Al-Haqqani, the
spiritual leader of a Sufi movement, was seated along the Pope’s processional route
towards the Church of the Holy Cross.
Fr Lombardi said : “The Pope stopped
to greet the 89 year old religious leader, who welcomed him by saying “I am very old”
to which the Pope replied “so am I”. He then told the Pope that he lived close to
the Church and had wanted to come to greet him, and he gifted Pope Benedict with an
decorated piece of wood, a plaque with an Islamic inscription and a rosary. The Pope
gifted the religious leader a medal and they embraced”.
Fr Lombardi commented
that Sheik Mohammed Nazim Abil Al-Haqqani is active in inter faith dialogue and described
his gesture as one of “Islamic fraternity”.
Earlier today Fr Lombardi held
a press conference on the progress of the Papal trip so far. Hear more: